FLANDREAU, S.D. — Two consultants who worked with a Native American tribe on its plans to open the nation’s first marijuana resort have been charged with drug offenses, South Dakota’s attorney general announced Wednesday.

The charges come eight months after the Flandreau Santee Sioux destroyed their crop amid fears of a federal raid, abandoning an ambitious scheme to develop “an adult playground” that they estimated could net as much as $2 million a month in profits. Tribal leaders this week said they don’t plan to revisit the proposal, and instead will use their land to grow vegetables, including tomatoes.

Attorney General Marty Jackley, who warned against the tribe’s proposal from the start, said that a range of marijuana possession charges had been brought against two top officials of Monarch America, the Littleton-based company hired to work with the tribe.

Monarch CEO Eric Hagen was charged by indictment with conspiracy to possess, possession and attempt to possess more than 10 pounds of marijuana. Jonathan Hunt, the vice president and cultivation expert, was charged with conspiracy to possess between a half-pound and a pound of marijuana.

About Author

We’re everything you need to know about marijuana – your #1 source of important marijuana-related information. From the plant and its benefits to its place in culture and society, TWB has you covered! News. Culture. Science. Cooking. Growing. Industry. Advocacy. You can find this and so much more.